When transporting crude oil or other hazardous fluids through a pipeline, there is a risk of leaks from the pipeline or at a pipeline station. This can result in environmental damage, whether the leak occurs in a subsea or surface pipeline.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,744 (Brown et al.) describes a pump connected to a pipeline in an environmentally sensitive area. The pump is activated in the event of a leak to pump fluids out of the pipeline and into a container. U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,233 (Smith, Jr.) describes another system in which fluid flowing along a pipeline is redirected into a container in the event of a leak.